Lord Krishna

Divine Teacher

The Supreme Lord, the charioteer and divine guide of Arjuna. Krishna delivers the eternal wisdom of the Gita, revealing the nature of the soul, duty, and the path to liberation.

Speaking: Chapter 8, Verse 24

Verse 24

Hard Verse

The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman

Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain that Supreme by passing away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment, during the fortnight of the waxing moon, or during the six months when the sun travels in the north.

Context & Meaning

The path of light: fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern solstice. Those who depart in these cosmic conditions — or more precisely, who carry the inner light represented by these symbols — reach Brahman and do not return. This is the devayana, the path of the gods.

Scholar Commentaries

1 commentary · Public domain

Adi Shankaracharya

Advaita

These are not merely astronomical conditions. The fire, light, day, and bright fortnight represent the inner luminosity of a purified consciousness. The "time" of departure is ultimately the quality of mind at the moment of leaving.